ROYD GARLICK CASE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1833, 20 August 1913, Page 9

ROYD GARLICK CASE.

INQUIRY RESUMED.

WAS GARLICK THE BEST MAN?

AN EXPERT'S EVIDENCE.

The 'committed of tho Houso of Bepreean.tafci.ve3 set up to consider tho appointment of Mr. Itoyd Garliok to the position of Director of Physical Training in the primary schools' of the Doaniniom continued its sittings last evening. ,

There were'present:—Tho Hon. J. A.' Millar (chairman),'the Hon.'A. L.' Heirdw niaai, Messrs. D. 11. Guthrie, G. M. Thomson, R. Scott, J. C. Thomson, H. Maud, (unid T. K. -Sidey. The Hon. Jas. Allen (Minister for Education) ami Mr, Itoyd, ■Qorlick were also present. - ' Declined a Position. Mr. Wilford handed in. two" letters from Mas. Itoyd. GaiAiok to Mr. Walter Daiton, a former witness. Mr. Herdman had asked - tho witness Johnsoai iVhobher or not Daiton had boon dismissed 1 from GarlicJc's classes for incompetence. _ Onio of tho letters' stated that. DtUton's services were nwt required as the class was too small, and enukeed has cheque. - 'l!ho second letter fluid that Mrs. Garlick would liko to see Daiton. He oal'led on her, and was offered a class at Palnneirston North, whitih, however, ho declined'to take. Mr. Gartok hod'alterwardls seait ..for. Mm, and offered, him a position as phjisic&l director in. a boys' Bohood near Oajnaru. • The salary was too small, oaid the witness declined. "It is not liikedy," the witness concluded, "that Mr. Garliok .efliould havra senit frame if I had been dismissed fw incompetence." i ' . The Hon. Jas. Alien: Do you say that Mr. Eoyd Garliok | offered to recommend you for tho position? _ 1 The witness: Yes; he said that on his recommendo/tioai he thought I" would gteit it. Mr. Alien: You say that definitely? Witness: Yes. . Ths jwitness admitted that tho cfcisa in Swedish drill had Mien off in numbers w'Mlo he was in change of it. T!ho biggest number was flvie, and it dropped to one. Mr. Sidtey asked the witness how long it would take <i competent physical instructor to acquire a - knowledge of Swedish drill, if he had not previously been trained in that drill. Thb witness said that 'het. had taken.,'six months to learn the drill, giving eovwral hours a' day to it. An Error Refuted.. ,Mr. Wilford said that it had been stated in the newsj>apei3 ; that the witness Johnson had been, dismissed from tho Navy. This was not correct. Johnson had been dismissed from the Terra Nova, but not from, the Navy. His discharge from the Navy had been, of the highest, and he had been- recommended for a long and efficient servico medal, and a gratuity for meritorious service. If he desired, he could return to the Navy at any time. 'The "witness made a statement to this effect, and also handed in a letter expressing tho hope that tho committee should clear his choracter by having the erroneous statement refuted. Object of Inquiry. Mr. Wilford proposed to call a further (fitness, when Mr. Herdman objected. The statement had been mado that the eohool children were to be taught Swedish drill, and. they seemed to' be trying Mr. G;ur lick's fitness'to teach Swedish drill alone. .Waa this tho function of tho committee? T'he chairman: Should not that point lrnve been taken before.wo started taking evidence? Mr. Wilford: lam the defendant, .not Mr. Allen. The committee was set up tcr try me, and inquire' into my charges. /When .it has.'.heapl, my evidence th§, committee oan bring ; ' 'in what .evidence. it thinks fit.", Mr. Herdman moved that they go into oommittee to consider what action should be taken. Reference had: been' made to torruption and "spoils of the victors." T.he question wtis whether Mr. Garlick had been appointed to teach Swedish drill. , ... Mr. Wilford: I am not a member of tho committee. It is unfair to turn me out while you discuss what I am to.do. Mr. G. M. Thomson, said that ho had already asked several times whether it was a question of Swedish drill or physical culture generally that they were to inquire into. , The chairman said he thought tho matter was one of Swedish drill, which peemod to be the basis of the syllabus. Mr. Allen: Modified Swedish drill. Mr. Wilford: My contention is that Garlick did not'understand Swedish drill. My contention being euoh, I had the Tight to call my witnesses. . Mr. HerdmanYou alleged ho was not fit to hold the position to ,which he was appointed. .• • * The chairman: Part of the chargo was that 'the Government oould havo found a man able to teaoh Swedish drill. It is perfectly in order for Mr. Wilford to prove this. Mr. Herdman's motion to go into committee was carried by four votes to three, i Those voting for it were: Messrs. G. M. Thomson, Herdman, Guthrie, and Scott. Against: Messrs. Millar, Poland, and Sidey. • . ' The question was ; discussed at some length in committee. On resuming, it was announced itliat tho committeo would confine itself to the question of Mr. Garlick's competence to teach the manual, which is founded on tho Swedish system.

A'Swedish Drill Expert. Joseph AJoysius Duff}, who was called by Mr. Wilford, said he was thirty-ono years of age. He- had been in the Dominion . for the -last four years, having come. from Lancashire. Ho had been a member of the Lancashire Physical Training Council, which was a body organised to.advise the Government with regard to physical training' .in ; Lancashire. Ho spent thirteen weeks in Stockholm studying Swedish drill under the Government instructors. He had. already had eleven weeks' training in tho Swedish system, and after his return from Sweden he went to Aldershot, where he put in another seven weeks' training. He had been instructor for two year 3 in secondary and primary schools in England. He there taught the English syllabus, which was based on tho Swedish system. Prior to the appointment of Royd Garlick ho was in communication with-the Education Department with regard to Swedish drill. In January,'l9l2, ho waited on 'the InspectorGeneral (Mr. G. Hogben) • and suggested to him a scheme and manual of physical training, for the schools of the Dominion. Ho had had a training in elementary anatomy and physiology with regard to bodily exercise. On August 16, 1912, ho compiled a long manual of physical training and forwarded it to Mr. Hogben, who acknowledged receipt of it. Ho had also forwarded a manual which was an improvement on the English syllabus of 1909, on which the Now Zealand Government was working. Mr. Wilford: Am "I right in thinking that at the time tliis appointment was made the Department knew there was a man in Wellington capable of teaching Swedish drill? The witness: They must, have; they had my letter in their hands. Mr. Wilford: Did you have an opportunity of implying for this position? Witn*=*: None whatever. Mr. "Wilford: Yon complain as a mem ; ber of the public that you did not have a chance? Witness: Not so much that, as that the Minister said ha had got the best man— msining that ho had a better man than mvjalf. Tho witness further stated that he had offered tie bring a-class of children trained in Swedish drill beforo the Department for th« inspection of its officers. Hp ifjg now ,tra«hing tho drill in eight Roman Cath»lie schools; h» had conduct*} a display in the Wellington Town Hall before the Minister for Education; and he lind taken a class of non-commissioned officers in Dunedin. General- Gndley had specially complimented him on the showing of this class when he first saw them. Mr. Wilford: Mr. Allen is not only Minister for Education, but Minister for Defence. Officers of both Department? knew that there was a man who knew how to teach Swedish drill? Witn"s=: Ther-" were . Mr. Wilf.ord: Tho other? Witness:' Sergt.-Major. Partes,

Mr. Wilford: Ho was the man who tcok tho boys to Canada, who beat the world. Witness: That is so. Mr. Wilford: Did ho havo a chanco to apply for the position? Witness: I cannot speak as to that. A Faulty System, Tho witness further stuted that in January, 1912, ho was referred by tho Inspec-tor-General to the Junior Cadet Department. He there found Sergt.-Major Just and Sergt-Major Rutledgo endeavouring to compile a system of exercises for children from tho 1803 military manual, which had boon condemned by the English authorities as a system for teaching children. He made certain suggestions which had since been adopted. Mr. Wilford: Becauso you suggested thorn ? Witness: I don't say that. Mr. Wilford: We'll say it was a coincidence. Tho witness said that ho was prepared to go through a course of advanced •Swedish exercises with Mr. Garlick, or to put Mr. Garliclc through tho course. Tho manual he had placed beforo the Department had been in thoir hands from October 1, 1912, until tho appointment of Koyd Garlick. Ho had then de- [ inandod its return. Tho syllabus finally adopted by tho Department was almost exactly tho same as that which ho had submitted. He had given evidence beforo the Education Committee of tho House, and had mado certain recommendations, almost all of which htid since been adopted l . Question of Salary. Mr. Wilford: What do you think would have been a fair salary for a. man to run this Department as director?— "•£350." And for assistants ? —"J2ISO." Could men have been obtained at those sums?—" Certainly." The witness further stated that ho had had no opportunity of applying for a position, and had never received notifiavtion that such was vacant, although he was in oonstant communication with tho Department. He had previously offered his services to the Department. Ho did: not,know Mr. Garlick, and h&d never seen him before tho inquiry commenced. It would take three years for a man to learn advanced Swedish drill. The 72 tables of the London syllabus would bo "picked up" quicker by ai man who had been instructed in other drills beforehand than by one who had no previous experience. The faulty teaching of Swedish drill would result in straining of tho heart, injury to the spine, etc. Questioned by Mr. Herdman, tho witness ' said that for all he knew to tho contrary Mr. Garlick might bo a perfectly competent teacher. There was no doubt that the Minister had tho chance of considering the witness's capabilities and his scheme at tho time Mr. Garliok was appointed. Mr. Herdmiisi: Do you complain that the Department has "cribbed"- your syllabus?—" No."

The syllabus was that of London?— "Yea."

Well, you do not suggest that the Department adopted your syllabus?—"No; but they adopted my scheipe of working the syllabus.

One of his suggestions was that physical culture 6hould be made an imprtant subject in the school curriculum. This might not be an original suggestion, but tho suggestion of a uniform scheme was. When he cwne to New Zealand he found rll kinds of systems being taught. Some teachers taught the Sanaow system, and some taught their, own. The tables ivhich he had seen being compiled in 1908 were for issue to schools. This was long , before the appointment of Mr. Garlick. ,-' Mr. Herdman: You can 'throw no scrap of light on the question of Mr. Garlick's capabilities?— No. . Based on Swedish Drill. In answer to Mr. Sidey, the witness said that when he first approached the Inspector-General ho had no idea that a Commissioner of Physical Training would be appointed, but from what ho had seen in tho schools he concluded that such an appointment was necessary. A knowledge of Swedish drill was necessary to understand tho manual adopted by the Department, as tho system was based on Swedish drill. a .. . Mr. Sidey: Hoiv/loh'g -'would','.'an. .'instructor with a knowledge of physical training, but without a knowledge of Swedish drill, take to master this manual?. —"He never would." • . . '

Mr. Sidey: Never Tho witness: If a man was trained by an instructor who knew Swedish drill he would-pick it up. But I would not employ a man who learnt it from the book.

In reply to Mr. Scott, the witness said that his statement that his system was an improvement on the 1909 manual was an expression of his own opinion. He was willing to bring proof that he was correct. " J

In answer to Mr. Millar, tho witness said that a knowledge of Swedish drill was essential to the teaching of the syllabus adopted by the Department. Mr. Allen: In what way does the witness think' his manual is an improvement on the 1909 British manual ?—"That I decline to answer." ■

Mr. 'Wilford: You know where that question came- from?—"l know where it came from, and that's why I-decline." Mr. Wilford: It came from Mr. Garlick.

The witness, replying to .further questions by the Minister, said that the superiority of his manual lay in the fact that the English manual was useless except in l tho hands of trained physical instructors. In. "■ New Zealand, he understood, the instruction was to be given by the regular school teachers.

Mr. Allen: Have you any diplomas?— No; I went through Aldersliot as nn Education Board instructor, and as such was not entitled to the military diploma.

Mr. Allen: You say thait a thoroughly competent man could bo obtained to talco the position of director at .£350 a year?— "Yes." '

Mr. Allen: Can I assume that you do not earn .£3so?—'"l wasn't at 'the time I applied."

Mr. Allen: And you think wo could get assistants under a year?—"l think .£IBO would be sufficient. You only give your Imperial sergeant-majors,' with every possible kind of service, .£165.-" At this stage it was decidcd 'to adjourn until to-morrow evening at 8 o'clock.-